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Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Cleanser Versus Garnier Pure Active Gel Cleanser

Face Cleanser
Face Cleanser
American Brand United States
French Brand France

Updated on August 23, 2024

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe face cleansers. They have a total of 2 ingredients in common

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin and brightening skin

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, oils, parabens or silicones

What's Inside

They both contain fragrances

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

About this product

About this product

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Benefits

Concerns

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

found in both products

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.

So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.

You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water
Masking, Perfuming

Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.

Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.

For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.

The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.

For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.

One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.

Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.

Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.

The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.

Learn more about Parfum

When to use

493 Routines
45% use in am
55% use in pm
98% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->
51 Routines
45% use in am
55% use in pm
94% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Cleanser 18 ingredients

3.4 /5
from 9 ratings
Works Well (2) Drying (2) Great Value (2)
USAFGal09's avatar

USAFGal09

2 years ago
Review

Super Nice...
This is a good cleanser as a 2nd step in double cleansing. I use it in the evenings to ensure all my makeup is removed. It does not strip my skin and doesn't irritate it either. There are others I prefer, but this is one of my favorites from the drugstore.

laila.21's avatar

Laila

1 month ago
Review

Absolutely love everything about this cleanser!
It’s basic with HA but feels hydrating, doesn’t dry my skin and even removes makeup without needing any double cleansing.
I will stick to this one since it does the job perfectly and I don’t like cleansers with actives as i have to be more careful with what products to use after them.
100/10

#great value
#hydrating
#light scent
#works well

Garnier Pure Active Gel Cleanser 18 ingredients

Pure Active Gel Cleanser hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it now